If Angus Blyth needed more motivation to work on his goal of becoming a Reds regular, it's being provided by a source close to home.
Blyth added seven caps for the Reds this year after making his debut in 2018 and is determined to become a pack regular despite stiff competition for spots in the second row.
But it is not captain-in-waiting Izack Rodda or beanpole Harry Hockings who are likely to provide the biggest spur to Blyth, but younger brother Wilson, who has signed a three-year development squad contract with Queensland.
Straight out of renowned Gold Coast rugby nursery The Southport School, Wilson Blyth, a 1.99m lock, has been locked in by the Reds and will be providing some brotherly competition for 2.04m brother Angus.
"It's pretty exciting to see Winston come through," Blyth said as the Reds started a week-long training camp on the Gold Coast on Monday.
"He's started off training the last couple of weeks and I've seen him around the gym at Ballymore.
"It's good to catch up with him and see how the training's going for him and I'm just really looking forward to having him at Ballymore and hopefully play with him or train with him more in the future."
Blyth gave great service to the Reds last season when he stepped into the starting line-up when Hockings was suspended for three matches and is determined to maintain his place in the game-day 23.
"My goals for next year are to continue playing a high standard of rugby, just continue pushing to play better and play more games for the Reds and just get more experience," he said.
"Obviously a few of the other guys are in the mix (for a starting sport) as well, so it'll be really good to have that competition as well and just continue to get better and always fighting for that spot in the team."
Blyth recently re-signed with the Reds until 2023, becoming one of a slew of players to have inked long-term deals with the club.
"It's just awesome to hear of all the other boys signing on for the long-term, for three or four years, it's great to have such a great group of boys coming through as well," he said.
"We all get on really well, we all try to get better all the time and it's just going to be awesome for the future of the Reds."
Blyth grew up on the Gold Coast and attends Bond University as a recipient of the John Eales Rugby Excellence Scholarship, a bursary Wilson will also take up in 2020.
"It's a great opportunity down here on the Gold Coast for me and the rest of the Reds crew and we're really looking forward to ripping in this week and a big week of training ahead."
